Cheat Sheet

Controlling Cholesterol For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Take a look at recommended guidelines for cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI) and get your numbers checked to see if you’re at risk for health problems. Adopt some healthy habits that will help you keep your cholesterol under control.

Counting Cholesterol

The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) issued this data about adult guidelines for total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff), and HDL cholesterol (the good stuff). These cholesterol numbers apply to people ages 20 to 74:

Total Cholesterol (mg/dL)

Status

<200

Excellent

200-239

Borderline high

>240

High

LDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)

Status

<100

Excellent

100-129

Pretty good

130-159

Borderline high

160-189

High

>190

Very high

HDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)

Status

<40

Low

>60

High

Source: National Cholesterol Education Program

Counting Kids’ Cholesterol

Counting cholesterol in kids is different than in adults. The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests only testing children older than age 2 and who have a family history of coronary artery disease — a parent or a grandparent with high cholesterol or a history of heart disease. The AHA-recommended cholesterol levels for children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 are:

Total Cholesterol (mg/dL)

LDLs (mg/dL)

Status

<170

<110

Acceptable

171-199

111-129

Borderline

200 or higher

130 or higher

High

Source: The American Heart Association

Recommended Blood Pressure Levels (Systolic/Diastolic)

Having high blood pressure, or hypertension, causes your heart to work harder than normal to pump blood. Get a blood pressure test and look at your numbers to see if you’re at risk for health problems related to high blood pressure.

Rate Your Weight with BMI (Body Mass Index)

BMI (body mass index) is a valuable health predictor. The higher your BMI number, the higher the risk of health problems including coronary heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Body mass index (BMI) is a gender-free measurement that relates height to weight. To get your BMI, use the following equation:

Your weight(lbs)/Your height(in)2× 705

For a person who weighs 138 pounds and stands 5’3” tall, the equation looks like this:

BMI = W/H2 × 705

= (138 pounds/63 × 63 inches) × 705

= (138/3969) × 705

= 24.5 BMI

Apply your BMI number to the following categories:

BMI

Status

<18.5

Underweight

18.5-24.9

Healthy

25-29.9

Overweight

>30

Obese

>40

Extremely obese

Source: The National Center for Health Statistics

Tips to Control Cholesterol

Some things that affect your cholesterol you have control over. Put these healthy lifestyle guidelines into use to elevate your HDLs (good cholesterol) and decrease the LDLs (bad cholesterol), along with keeping your heart healthy.

Cut back on fatty foods.

Lose a few pounds.

Exercise every day. Okay, every other day.

Stop smoking.

Drink in moderation.

Your diet matters when it comes to your cholesterol numbers. To help control your cholesterol by eating healthy, go with the American Heart Association’s 30-10-300 food plan:

No more than 30 percent of your total daily calories from fat

No more than 10 percent of your total daily calories from saturated fat

No more than 300 mg cholesterol a day

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